Recurrent headaches a symptom of brain tumour: experts

Recurrent headaches that get worse with time could be the symptom of brain tumour, said experts at a city hotel on Friday.

Recurrent headaches that get worse with time could be the symptom of brain tumour, said experts at a city hotel on Friday.

Addressing a press conference held to mark World Brain Tumour Day, Dr Ashish Gupta, a senior consultant in neurosurgery at Max Super Speciality Hospital (MSSH), SAS Nagar, and Dr Nitin Yogesh,a consultant in neurosurgery at the same hospital said that increased intracranial pressure (IICP) was an increased pressure on the brain that could be caused by excess fluid, brain swelling, or a mass which could, in turn, be a cause of brain tumour.

"Such headaches are an initial symptom of the tumour. Other symptoms like seizures, changes in vision or hearing, giddiness, nausea and vomiting, fit weakness of the arms and legs or cognitive decline are other associated symptoms, "said Dr Yogesh. Describing the characteristics of headaches common to those with brain tumours, Dr Gupta said that the pain could be dull ache, or throbbing.

"Over time, the headaches might become more frequent, increasing in severity, and could eventually be a constant occurrence that was not easily relieved. Changes in body position could make them worse, especially when lying down. They could also be worsened by coughing or sneezing," he said.

Primary brain tumours tend to stay in the brain. While they could occur in people of all ages, these were seen to be more frequent in children and older adults.

"Metastatic brain tumours are those that would begin as a cancer elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain. These were more common in adults than children," said Dr Yogesh.